Farm Job Losses Fuel June Unemployment Rise

Paced by a seasonal drop in farm jobs, the county unemployment rate rose to 4.9% in June, mirroring jobless increases across the state and nation.

But employment in the nonfarm sector, considered a more accurate measure of the job market, increased by 1,300 jobs, according to a preliminary report released Friday by the state Employment Development Department. Also, overall unemployment is still well below the June 1997 figure of 6.1%.

County labor market analyst Dee Johnson said the unemployment rate usually jumps in June, in part due to farm losses.

“This seems to be nothing signifying anything unusual,” she said.

But while agreeing there are seasonal layoffs, United Farm Workers regional manager Gustavo Romero insisted this year has been worse than previous years.

Storms early in the year caused heavy damage to local crops and led to cuts in hours and total jobs, Romero said.

“The effect is tremendous,” he said. “Farm workers will be worse off this year than they were last year.”

Notwithstanding the farm job losses, UC Santa Barbara economist Mark Schniepp said the numbers reveal a strong labor market.

“Overall, the economy is growing at a healthy pace,” he said. “It’s not too hot, it’s not too cold.”

Compared with June 1997, total county employment was up 2.6%, or 7,000 jobs.

There were 18,900 workers looking for jobs in June, the report said.

Even the farm sector, which lost 1,700 jobs last month, was ahead for the year, posting a 400-job increase--or 2%--over June 1997.

“There is a very broad-based, all-participatory expansion going on,” Schniepp said. “From a diversity standpoint, the report is all very good.”

Maricela Maldonado, corporate spokeswoman for Select Personnel Services, a temporary agency, said there is a need for more skilled and unskilled workers.

“There’s a shortage in qualified candidates,” she said. “The market is to the employees’ advantage right now.”

The demand is especially high for technicians and other high-skilled workers, Maldonado said.

A wide range of county industries continued their steady growth, compared with the same period last year, according to the report.

The manufacturing sector posted strong gains last month, adding 300 jobs.

The sector has added 1,600 since last year, a 4.8% increase.

Business services trimmed 100 jobs in June, cutting its year-to-year growth to 1,300 jobs, a 6.4% increase.

Employment and unemployment figures for the county are based on unemployment insurance claims, employer surveys and census data.

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Ventura County Jobless Rate

June 1998: 4.9%

Source: California Employment Development Department